DUSHANBE, November 16, 2010, Asia-Plus — Public associations located in Sughd province call on the countries of the Ferghana Valley to jointly tackle the environmental problems.
A roundtable on cross-border environmental problems, access of the public to information and public participation in decision making that took place in Khujand on November 10 adopted such an appeal.
The appeal, in particular, says that the Environment and Security Initiative for the Ferghana Valley, in the framework of which a dialogue between the countries of the region must be established, is one of examples of such o cooperation.
The Sughd NGOs expressed concern that Uzbek colleagues have not taken a proper part in implementation of that Initiative.
The Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan (EMU) that organizes an international conference “The Cross-border Problems in Central Asia: Application of International Legal Mechanisms for Solution of them” on November 16-17 has not invited colleagues from Tajikistan to attend the conference.
Deviation from cooperation in seeking solution to the environmental problems is nothing more than violation of these public norms, the appeal said.
The Sughd public associations consider it expedient to develop the policy of cooperation in environmental protection at the regional level for solving the environmental problems facing the Ferghana Valley. This policy must include the following aspects: exchange of information; joint consultations, monitoring of the environmental situation in border areas, establishment of a joint inter-region commission for solving emerging conflict situations connected with the environmental protection and security problems; implementation of regional projects aimed at solving the most topical problems impacting the population and environment in the Ferghana Valley; and regular environmental monitoring, consultations and hearings on the most topical cross-border environmental problems with participation of the public and media.
Such an approach to seeking solution to the cross-border environmental problems will allow developing a real mechanism of solving these problems with due regard to views of all the interested sides and establishing a constructive dialogue between the countries of the region, the appeal said.
